Maturity, rather than weakness, was the reason for the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), inside sources told Sunday Telegraph.
PDP had appointed Setonji Koshoedo as acting National Secretary following the resolution of the PDP Governors’ Forum not to accord either Anyanwu or former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, recognition after the Supreme Court judgement that vests in political parties the right to choose their leaders.
There were also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as regulator of registered political parties in the country, refused to recognise letters signed by Koshoedo, thereby forcing the PDP to reinstate Anyanwu as National Secretary.
But one party source, who pleaded anonymity, said nobody dictated to the PDP on the matter.
“Reinstatement of Anyanwu was just a show of PDP’s maturity,” he stated, alleging an intention to destroy the party by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
Said he; “The leaders then had to choose between evil intention or manage them to get the party revived. So, it is wiser to allow that to happen for the survival of PDP.
“If you see a child that does not care to destroy the legacy of his father’s throne just because he wants to get to the throne, then the sincerity of that child’s right to the throne is questionable.
“And I must confess that many of us are doubting their loyalty to PDP already. A loyal and committed member of PDP can’t keep destroying the party.”
He dismissed the report that INEC refused to honour letters written by Koshoedo, adding; “The same people that told INEC not to accept our letters also came back to tell us INEC does not want to accept (them).
“Because they have taken their lies to very high level, we don’t want them to frustrate the party more; we don’t want to allow them to destroy future generations.
“The most reasonable thing to do is to get the party back on track, and that is what we are doing.”
He disclosed that majority of PDP members were not favourably disposed to the actions of Wike and Damagum towards the PDP.
“Not just the NWC, but the majority of all organs of the party – the BoT, NEC members and so on.
“You know we practice guided democracy in Nigeria. Some people are not disposed to it but have no choice but follow them because of the influence of their leaders.
“However, few people, despite the dictates of their conscience, still support them probably because of their selfish interest or the influence of their leaders.
“It is so glaring that they are not helping the party. How could any reasonable one be supporting them?
“But you know, in politics, most people put interest and loyalty above reasoning. So those supporting the crisis are very few,” he added.
Another source admitted that the PDP was “in a precarious situation,” and that was part of what is causing movement from PDP to the coalition platform, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
According to him, those leaving the party to ADC were cut in between fear and doubts.
“Fears that PDP may not survive its crisis, and doubts that they are not sure of the ADC they are moving into.”
He was however optimistic that, “the bleeding will soon stop and the wound healed. It’s just a movement of the weaklings that cannot stay back to revive the party.
“Hard times distinguishes men from boys. The boys have moved; men remain to rebuild. They will soon return, most of them have done that before and came back.”
He did not see ADC as a threat to the PDP in the coming elections, recalling that it happened before and those who left the party came back.
“By the time PDP is back on track, ADC will be scattered. Many of them will probably start coming back or retire from politics.
“I just hope PDP will be magnanimous enough to still accord them their commensurate honour,” he stated.
